Three Words
by bananamangos
Summary: Hermione loves Ron, but what exactly does he feel towards her? What will happen once she says those three words that she so desperately needs to say? How does Draco fit into all of this? Dark Ron.Hr/R at first but eventually Hr/Dr. M just in case.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!**

Three words. That's all it would take. She knew that as soon as the words left her mouth, her life would change forever. Their life would change forever. A bead of sweat rolled down her back as she contemplated exactly how to approach the subject. The room felt uncomfortably warm and stuffy, but he seemed fine. '_Should I tell him? Is it worth it?'_Of course it was. After all, she had invited him to the room of requirement with a purpose, and there was no way out of it now. She eyed him before quickly looking away. '_This is too hard…'_But it had to be done. Taking a slow, deep breath, she closed her eyes. Her face showed her nervousness, and he could tell.

He watched her silently, her internal conflict showing obviously on her face. She bit her lower lip nervously and opened her eyes. She glanced at him again. He held a cup of tea, gone cold already, but he wasn't about to tell her. No, he was waiting. Waiting for her to get the courage she needed to tell him exactly why he was here, sitting on a couch, and not in bed with her like they were accustomed to when in this room. Getting more than a little frustrated, he cleared his throat. She flinched, and her attention was on him once again. '_I have to do this, it's now or never...and it can't be never.'_With a newfound determination, she looked at him straight in the eyes. She opened her mouth, and he looked back at her warily.

"Ron, I'm pregnant", she told him confidently.

He looked at her with wide eyes. Realization slowly crept into him. He placed the cold cup of tea on the table and sighed. His right hand made its way up to his head and he closed his eyes as he combed through his red hair. '_Damn!'_That's all he thought. He looked at her with a face of disbelief. Her confident face slowly faded to a frown. '_Why isn't he happy?'_They continued to look at each other, until he finally spoke.

"Hermione…the time's we've been together…w-we were careful, weren't we? There's no possible way you can be pregnant! Besides, we're still in school. We're too young to be parents right now."

She looked away from him. '_I can't believe him. He's denying this!'_"I can't believe you're actually trying to get out of this!" She scoffed. "I thought you loved me, Ron."

"I do love you! But, I don't want that kind of responsibility right now. Please Hermione, you can't be serious, tell me this isn't true! Tell me you're just joking with me. " He pleaded with her

"I'm sorry, but it's no joke, and if you haven't noticed, we're leaving Hogwarts soon. So don't give me that 'we're still in school' crap!" She said angrily. "You know that ever since I obliviated my parent's memories, I have no family. Don't think this is easy on me! I don't know what to do!" Angry tears were begging to be released from her eyes.

"Hermione, don't try to make me feel guilty, please." He begged her. "What are we going to do with a baby? I don't even have a job yet. You don't have a job. What do you expect us to do?"

"I expect you to support me in my decision to keep this child." She sobbed. "Please Ron, don't act like this. You say you love me, now prove it."

"Fine." That's all he said._Fine._With that, he stood and left her sitting there.

She sat there for a while after he left. She stared at nothing in particular. An obvious sadness could be seen in her eyes. She thought. That's all she could do at this point. '_What am I going to do? He said fine...but what's fine? I don't wang to lose him!'_She lowered her head into her hands and cried._'Oh Merlin, let this all be okay. Am I making a mistake in forcing this on him? Maybe I can care for the child on my own. But…I don't want to do it alone, I want him. I love him.'_She wiped her eyes and sniffed as she stood. She made her way out into the corridor and walked to Gryffindor tower, giving the necessary password. Before going in, she stopped and took a deep breath. Upon entering, she searched the room for him out of habit. When she didn't see him, she felt a hint of disappointment. With a slight frown on her face, she made her way to her room, not stopping to acknowledge anyone. She wasn't in the mood for pleasantries at the moment. Entering her room, she locked the door and turned off the lights. Without even bothering to change out of her robes, she threw herself on the bed and cried. It was a while before she felt sleep getting to her. Before she closed her eyes and succumbed to it, she thought of Ron  
>one last time.<em>'I'll give him time to think about it. He'll surely be happy about it once he really has time to think.'<em>With that, she drifted off into sleep.

He lay in his bed, tossing and turning.'_oh shit, what am I going to do? I don't want a bloody kid...not with her.'_He squeezed his eyes, begging for sleep to take him to a place where he didn't have to think about his current situation._'I should have told her. I should have done it sooner. Why did I let it come to this?'__Giving up on sleep, he opened his eyes._ _'What will I tell Lavender? She's going to murder me! I promised her I would break up with Hermione.'__He rolled onto his back and sighed._ _'I can't lose her. But, I can't leave Hermione alone right now. Dammit…that bloody child. I don't love her anymore. But I'll look bad if I leave her.'__He continued to think to himself as he once again closed his eyes._ _'I'll just have to tell Lavender. She'll have to accept it. After all, the witch can't resist me, no matter what. She won't leave me.'__He smirked to himself. When had he become like this? He was out to please himself. He knew he deserved it, after having spent so much time fighting against Voldemort._ _'That's right, I was just trying to have a little fun. It's not my fault that witch got herself knocked up. It's not my fault she fell in love. I only say I love her to get her in bed.'__His thoughts strayed to Lavender. Her silky brown locks, those plump limps that were capable of wondrous things. Gods, he needed her. Only Lavender could give him what Hermione never could. Passion. Hermione may love him, but she was nothing compared to Lavender in bed. She was shy and inexperienced. Lavender was verbal in what she wanted, and knew exactly how to please. The only reason he stuck around with Hermione for this long was for show. Everyone expected them to be together, and he saw it too. That is, until he realized just how different they were. She was smart,_ _too_ _smart. He was, well, fun. He enjoyed qudditch and having a good time, surrounded by people. She enjoyed reading and being alone. The spark that was once there had completed faded._

_"__I'm sorry Hermione…" He whispered to himself as he finally fell asleep._

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><p><strong>Hey guys! I hope you liked it. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic, and I haven't written in a long time, so I hope it's not too horrid. My last two stories were kind of just…abandonded. I wrote them in my middle school days. But I want to start again and actually finish this one. I've wanted to write for a while, but I haven't had the time with all my senior year responsibilities. Hehe. Please review and tell me if you liked it, hated it, or have any suggestions as to how I can make it better. By the way, this WILL be a HermioneDraco fic. I just have to set it up first. Please bear with me. For those of you who don't like Ron being portrayed as the bad guy, I'm sorry! But it's what I thought up and if you don't like to see a dark or jerky Ron, then you are free to stop reading, because it's how it's going to be. Again, sorry if it's not so great, and I know it's short, but I wanted to start it off just like this. I hope you readers stick around to see what happens next. Until next time!**

**-nemoliciouss**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Hey guys thanks so much for those of you who reviewed, added my story to their favorites and have my story on alert. It does wonders for my motivation! Of course, thanks to those of you who are reading! I really do have a clear idea as to where I'm going with this, and I just want everyone to know that this fic will NOT take place all during Hogwarts. I'm just starting it off there. Also, to clear up anything else, the war has already ended and the students are finishing up their school year after coming back. Once again, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**I don't own Harry Potter!**

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><p>Hermione sighed as she looked over at Ron. Her left hand was absentmindedly rubbing her stomach while the other held a spoon, mixing her uneaten oatmeal. It had been a week since they had talked in the Room of Requirement and he'd been ignoring her like the plague. She was sitting next to Ginny a ways away from both him and Harry. The only explanation either of them gave was that they had a fight, and were not ready to speak just yet. Harry and Ginny, not wanting to get involved, left it alone. She looked at him intently, hoping to catch his attention. He ignored her, knowing very well what she was trying to do.<p>

"Ginny, has Ron said anything? About…us?" she asked her hopefully.

Ginny put her goblet down and sighed. "I'm sorry 'Mione. Ron hasn't said a single word regarding what happened between you two. Are you ready to tell me yet? You know, as one of your close friends, I would think you would have told me by now. It's been a week, you know!"

"I know how long it's been!" she accidently snapped. "Sorry…it's just…I want to clear things up with him before I talk to anyone else."

With a look of confusion in her eyes, Ginny just nodded and turned her attention back to her food. Not looking at her, she added, "Harry's worried about you, you know? He doesn't like to see you down in the dumps like this. If Ron's done something horrible, he wants to know!...I want to know!"

"Let me work things out for myself this time Ginny, please." She begged her. "I promise, I'll tell you soon." She didn't wait to hear Ginny's response. Picking up her bag, she got up and headed out the door, looking one last time at Ron before disappearing completely.

X=X=X

He watched with cold, grey eyes. His gaze fixed on the girl whom he had terrorized throughout their previous years at school together. The one he watched being tortured by his aunt in the drawing room of his own home. The one with the annoyingly bushy hair. The one he couldn't seem to stop thinking about. No, he wasn't in love. That would be preposterous. But why, oh why, could he not stop looking at her? He scoffed at himself as he took a bite of his half eaten muffin. He continued to look at her, taking note that she wasn't sitting in her usual place, next to Harry and Ron. _'Trouble in paradise, I see.' _He paused for a second._ 'What? Why do I care?' _He looked away towards Blaise in an attempt to shake all thoughts of a certain Gryffindor from his head. He pretended to listen as Blaise began to tell of his recent escapade with a certain blonde Ravenclaw. He nodded in all the right places, even adding an 'oh?' or 'hmmm' here and there.

"And what about you Draco? Anyone interesting catch your attention?" he winked as he teased him.

Draco glared at him as he hissed, "You know very well of my situation Blaise. Don't play dumb with me." Blaise only smirked at him, a knowing look in his eyes. "If I so much as glance at another woman, Astoria will have a fit. That witch is annoying as bloody hell!" He thanked Merlin she wasn't around to hear what he was saying. Even more thankful she wasn't around to catch him glancing at the Gryffindor table.

"I know mate, it must be horrid to have to marry a wretched witch like her." He offered in a bad attempt to comfort his friend.

"Yeah well, consider yourself lucky that you get to choose who you shag every night." He said bitterly. "I on the other hand, have no choice but to tolerate Astoria Greengrass for the rest of my life. Damn these pureblood customs."

Blaise just patted him on the back and turned to gather his things to leave. Once he was alone, he turned his attention back to where it was before. Just as he located her, Hermione stood up to leave. He watched as she looked at Ron, an unknown feeling in the pit of his stomach caused him to grimace.

"It's just indigestion…" he tried to wave it off.

X=X=X

The day went by just like it had for the past week. Hermione trying to catch Ron's eyes every chance she could, in every class they shared together. Ron, knowing very well of her attempts to talk to him, coldly ignored her. Now, she sat in the Gryffindor common room, watching him and Harry play a round of wizards's chess.

Harry glanced at her and then looked back at Ron. "When are you gonna talk to her again?" He questioned. "She looks really sad Ron, stop being so insensitive."

"Blimey Harry, can't you just leave well enough alone?" he asked annoyed. "I'll deal with it when I see fit."

"Ron…" he warned. "She's my best friend also, and I don't like to see her like this. Now, you either go talk to her, or I'll ask Ginny to hit you with a nasty stinging hex!" He pounded his fist on the table and stood to leave. "We'll talk once you've settled things with her." He headed towards his room, nodding at Hermione as he left.

She smiled at Harry as he nodded at her. _'thank you…' _She thought as she realized what he had done. Taking the opportunity he handed to her, she walked towards the redhead she loved so dearly. Clearing her throat, she took Harry's seat and looked at Ron. He looked up warily into her eyes. _'There's no avoiding it anymore. I have to work things out now.' _

"Ron, we need to talk." She pleaded.

He let out a breath. "What is it Hermione?"

"Please, stop avoiding me. I feel horrid right now. Tell me how you're feeling. Tell my why you're acting like this!" She cried.

"Why? You know why! You've ruined my life! You've given me a responsibility I'm not ready to take on!" he yelled as he slammed a chess piece down.

Tears slowly began to spill from her eyes. "I'm sorry you feel that way Ron. It takes two to make a baby, so whether you like it or not, you will have to–" She was interrupted by a loud smack against the wall.

"WHAT?" fumed Harry as he walked towards them angrily. He stopped in front of Ron, looking at him with angry, green eyes. Clenching his fist he continued, "You got her pregnant? You've been ignoring her because of that?"

"Harry, I…I'm Sor–" Ron tried to apologize.

"No. No Ron. Don't you dare apologize to me. I'm not the one you knocked up and ignored for the past week." He hissed. "Some man you are, trying to get out of something like this. Don't you dare hurt Hermione like this."

Shocked, Ron looked at him with wide eyes. "Harry, you're my best friend. Why are you defending her?" He slowly turned red in the face. "Why can't you understand how I feel about this?"

"She's my friend also, and more importantly, she's you're girlfriend. This is something I would only expect from a git like Malfoy." He yelled at the redhead.

Getting even more read, Ron yelled back. "Some friend you are! Can't you see it's not my fault? I'm always careful. " He looked angrily at her. "She's the one that messed up. She's probably just trying to force me into marrying her!"

Hermione was sobbing uncontrollably now. Her eyes were red and her face blotchy. _'Why is he acting like this? Does he not love me anymore? Or…did he ever love me?' _She looked blurrily from Harry to Ron. _'He's right. This is my entire fault! This…' _Her thoughts were broken when she noticed Harry raise his fist. Her eyes went wide and she jolted up.

"Harry NO!" she cried.

But it was too late. Harry's fist made contact with Ron's face and before he knew what hit him, he fell backwards and into unconsciousness.

She stared at the scene in front of her. The color of her face turned a pale white. She raised her hands to her mouth, and started crying again. '_I've just ruined a friendship. I've destroyed everything the three of us ever had.'_

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><p><strong><span>AN: **So I hope you guys liked it! I was eager to get this chapter out for y'all and I hope it's to your liking. I'm leaving tomorrow for San Antonio for my freshman orientation! I'm so excited! But unfortunately, that means I won't be posting another chapter until probably Thursday, when I get back. I'll start work on chapter three later today, and if I somehow miraculously finish before tomorrow morning, I will post it. But don't get your hopes up too high! I still haven't packed and I always take forever to do that. Best wishes to all of you and pleasssse review! It makes me happy.

-nemoliciouss


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: I'm back! Orientation was amazing! I got all my classes and everything. I can't wait to go to college! Also, I joined marching band. Hehe. ANYWAY, thank you to those of you who reviewed, it makes me happy and gives me the motivation to continue with the story.

Special shout out to **mclovindramione** for being my first reviewer and reviewing twice!

Also, forgive me for the late update! I wanted to post as soon as I got back on Thursday, but with my luck, my computer wouldn't work. I've spent the past two days trying to fix it.

**I don't own Harry Potter!**

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><p>The next morning, Hogwarts was abuzz with rumors over what happened between the golden trio. No one was actually there to witness everything that happened, but when Lavender Brown came bouncing through the portrait hole only to find Ron on the ground, Harry with his fist up, and Hermione crying, it was certain that the whole school would find out by tomorrow morning. Sure enough, when Hermione opened the doors to the great hall, everyone went quiet. Death glares followed her as she made her way to Harry and Ginny. Many believed she was a manipulative flirt who turned Harry and Ron against each other in order to ruin their friendship. Others, who knew better than to listen to Lavender, looked at her sympathetically, believing Ron to be the guilty party. Before sitting down, she looked around and met the eyes of Draco Malfoy. He looked at her absentmindedly, and it was only when she gave him a look of confusion, that he realized what he was doing. His eyes flickered back to life and she could briefly see the look of panic in his eyes before the usual smirk graced his lips. <em>'What was all that about?'<em> She allowed herself that one thought, before clearing her mind of anything unpleasant that would remind her of that night in Malfoy mansion. She had enough problems at hand without having to deal with that as well. Sitting down between Harry and Neville, she turned toward Harry and forced a smile.

"Harry, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault!" she said sadly. "I never intended for anyone else to get involved. I especially didn't want you and Ron to get in a fight like that"

Harry placed his hand over hers and looked at her reassuringly. "Hey, 'Mione! Don't blame yourself for this. It's not your fault at all. Ron was being a git, and he deserved what he got."

"In fact," Ginny interrupted. "He deserves much worse. Harry told me everything, and I gotta admit, I know my brother's an idiot, but I didn't think he would do this to you!" She looked at her with guilt in her eyes. She felt bad for the pain her brother had caused her. If anyone deserved to be treated better, it was definitely Hermione. "I hope you don't think that I love you any less just because Ron is my brother. I am definitely not on his side on this subject."

"Right, speaking of which, I don't know exactly what happened, but I don't believe any of the rumors," Neville added. "In fact, if it's any consolation, many of us Gryffindor's don't. We know better than to believe what Lavender says. Especially since we know she's had it out for you for stealing Ron."

Hermione's face twisted into one of worry. Lavender, despite her seemingly harmless appearance, was not a girl to be messed with. Hermione looked over the table searching for those red locks she was accustomed to. When she finally found him, he saw her next to him. Lavender, feeling someone's eyes on her, looked right into Hermione's eyes. To Hermione's surprise, she smirked at her. Knowing she was still looking, she began to shamelessly flirt with Ron. Shocked, Hermione looked down at her lap and rubbed her stomach. _'Everything will be alright, love, mum will make sure of it!' _She spoke silently to her still flat belly. Taking a moment to calm herself, she began to eat breakfast as if nothing had happened.

X=X=X

'_What was THAT?'_ Draco's thoughts were in a state of frenzy. He had allowed himself to be caught staring by none other than the bushy-haired swot. Upon his arrival to the Slytherin table that morning, he was bombarded with gossip over the annoying golden trio. Normally, he wouldn't care less about anything anyone had to say, but as soon as he heard her name, he listened. Apparently, there had been a tiff between her two beloved friends, and she was to blame for it. He scoffed at the idea. _'As if that know-it-all would be capable of such a thing as flirting. She probably doesn't even know how to!' _ He smirked at his own comment, feeling better at having insulted her, even if she wasn't around to hear it. He ate his breakfast silently, allowing himself to listen to the other's sitting around him. He didn't comment, and they didn't ask questions or insisted on including him. It was just the way he liked it. That is, until a certain Greengrass sister strode in and sat next to him.

"Good morning darling!" she cooed. Kissing him on the head, she continued, "Have you heard the latest gossip? I can't believe that sl-" she was cut off by an irritated Draco.

"Astoria. What have I told you about public displays of affection?" he tried to say calmly. "You know I _hate_ it. Don't you dare try to embarrass me like that again." Her eyes widened, a trace of tears could be seen in her eyes. "I will NOT be a part of your stupid plan to make all the girls stay away from me. You know I won't cheat on you, I promised your parents I would respect you." He turned away from her angrily, and used it as an excuse to look at the Gryffindor table again. His eyes widened for a second, before he regained his composure. He watched as Hermione tenderly rubbed her stomach. She had a look in her eyes that he couldn't quite place. _'No…it can't be…" _Realization struck him, and finally, everything seemed to make sense. Why Potter had punched Ron, why Hermione was found crying at the scene, why the golden trio had temporarily disbanded. Unlike everyone else at the bloody school, he was no fool. He knew EXACTLY what was going on. The insufferable swot had gotten herself knocked up. And by none other than the weasel. He couldn't help but wrinkle his nose as if he'd smelled something rotten. _'Disgusting…'_

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><p><strong>AN**: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please please REVIEW! It really does keep me motivated! I would love to read what you have to say about my story. I'm sorry if this may be going a little slow, but I promise that they'll be out of Hogwarts soon. I just need to get Hermione and Ron to reconcile before that happens! Also, later on, Ron will get…well, let's just say, if you don't want to see him treating Hermione badly, please don't read. Rated M for a reason!


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't own Harry Potter**

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><p>Sick. He was sick of his best friend ignoring him. He was sick of the way most of the Gryffindors were treating him like scum. Most of all, he was so sick of her. The way she kept staring at him all day had become an annoyance. Her eyes bore holes into the back of his head. No matter how hard he tried, she just wouldn't let it go.<p>

'_That bloody swot is annoying the hell out of me.' _He rubbed his temple, trying to sooth the headache that was threatening to come. _'Things can't continue like this. I have to find a way to fix things. I can't be seen as the bad guy in all this. There's no way I'll let her do this to me.' _

He contemplated what he needed to do. Harry wouldn't forgive him unless he patched things up with Hermione. Unfortunately, the only way to do that was to accept the fact that he was going to be a bloody father. The one thing he absolutely didn't want to do.

'_I should try to get rid of the brat. I could simply slip something into her drink…or food...' _He continued massaging his temple. ' _Something that wouldn't kill her, but would definitely free me of that fucking parasite inside of her.'_ He scowled at this. The last thing he wanted to do was get into deeper shit with the people around him. If it was found out that he tried to kill his unborn child, then all hell would break loose. Harry would never forgive him then. Even worse, the people who were on his side, would turn against him, and then he really would have no one.

'_If I'm going to do something…I need to do it soon.' _The only people that knew about Hermione's pregnancy were Harry, Ginny, and his family. If he could _somehow _do something to fix the problem, then nobody else would even have to know what happened. His parents, and Percy, would want to keep it under wraps in fear of bad publicity. Harry would obviously keep it a secret, for the sake of Ginny.

The problem was, if he _did _get rid of the problem, his family wouldn't see him the same way. They would know it wasn't an accident, and would hold it against him for the rest of his life. It was annoying how Hermione had wormed her way into the hearts of his family members. She was practically a part of his family. He was even expected to marry her!

'_Really…as if I could spend the rest of my life with someone who has her nose stuck in a book all day.' _Disgust was clearly seen on his face. Sure, Hermione wasn't bad on the eyes. Her bushy hair was tolerable, and he could live with the fact that she wasted her days reading. But, he couldn't bear the thought of having her nag at him every single day of his life. Her constant jabbering of things he didn't care about. Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, the fucking S.P.E.W.!

He ran his fingers through his ginger locks. Yes, something definitely had to be done.

X=X=X

She was by herself, walking down a candlelit corridor. Her hair was a mess and her sleeves were rolled up. She had just finished tutoring potions, like she did every Thursday night. Like always, she stayed behind to clean up. It was her way of rewarding the people that came for their hard work. Knowing this, he made his way towards the dungeons and stood at the top of the stairs.

It took him a while to think of a way to go about his plan to get rid the _thing._ He thought of potions he could brew, of spells he could cast at her, but all would seem too obvious. Finally, he decided that the only way to get it done was to catch her off guard, in a situation that would seem accidental to anyone who happened to be around.

Making sure no one was around, he quickly cast a disillusionment charm on himself. He made his way down the stairs, stopping about halfway. _'All that's left now is to wait…and pray that this works.' _His heart was beating slightly faster than usual and he felt a rush of excitement.

Hearing footsteps approach, he readied himself. He looked at her disapprovingly as she began to walk up the stairs. She was a bloody mess! The closer she got, the faster his heart began to beat. _'This is it…'_ he said to himself as he readied himself. Without a thought, he finally did it. He pushed her and ran. He didn't want to stay and see what would happen. He needed to have an alibi, and for that, he had to run as fast as he could to the great hall. The charm he had put on himself was gone in a second and he pretended to run towards the first person he could find.

"Oi, Neville, wait up!" he yelled after the boy. "Let's get some food, I'm starving!" He didn't think twice about what he had done. He didn't even care that Neville was giving him a look of utter disgust. He just smiled, and thought about how he would be free of any responsibility soon.

The only problem was, he didn't realize they weren't alone. He had pushed her and ran, without noticing someone else going up those same stairs she had just been going up.

X=X=X

He was walking down the same corridor as her. No, he wasn't stalking her, it just so happened that he was on his way to dinner at the same time she had come out of that door. She didn't notice him behind her, and he didn't feel the need to announce his presence. They walked in silence. There was no need to talk to someone he had no business talking to. Sure, he enjoyed pushing her buttons, but how fun could it possibly be with no one else around to witness it? And so, the only thing that could be hear, were her obnoxiously loud footsteps.

After some, what he felt were agonizing, minutes, they finally reached the stairs. She climbed slowly, a protective hand over her stomach. _'That's right, she's pregnant with that gits kid.' _His eyes showed his annoyance. He didn't understand how someone like her could possibly get herself in a situation that was expected of people like Lavender. He may not like her as a person, but he knew she was smart. Obviously, not so much as everyone thought. His thoughts were broken by the sound of Hermione squeaking and her suddenly falling backwards. He ran towards her.

It happened really quickly, that he didn't even think about what had occurred until she was in his arms. He was holding on tightly to her left wrist, his other hand holding onto her waist. Her head rested on his chest, eyes squeezed shut. He was shifting his wait towards her, balancing himself in order to prevent him falling backwards as well. _'That…that was weird…'_ he blinked, looking at the spot Hermione had just slipped from. No, she couldn't have slipped. She looked as if she had been pushed backwards. _'She would have fallen forwards on her face if she had slipped…' _

"Malfoy! Let go of me!" she demanded. Her expression showed a mixture of shock and confusion.

"A simple 'thank you' will suffice Granger." He stated coldly. He let go of her just as quickly as he had held on to her. He walked away from her, not bothering to look at her twice, not waiting for a response. _'Curious indeed…'_

X=X=X

She stared after him as he walked away. She stood there long after he had gone, still in shock. It took her a while before she realized what had happened. She had slipped, and Malfoy had saved her. She had saved _them_. Her hand immediately went over her stomach protectively.

"Oh my…that could have been bad!" she cried to herself. "I could have lost you!" She sat down on the step where he had saved her. Attempting to compose herself, she breathed in and out, hoping that would calm her. When she felt like she was able to get up again, she slowly made her way up the stairs, making sure to hold on to the wall.

'_How could that be possible?' _she bit her lower lip nervously. 'I wasn't distracted and the floor wasn't slippery. It isn't possible that I could suddenly fall like that. Something's wrong here…'

As she opened the door to the great hall, she gave up all thought. Her baby was fine and there was no point in thinking about it this much. She just had to be more careful, is all.

The look of shock and disbelief on Ron's face could be seen a mile away, but she didn't notice it. However, someone else did. He stared at the redheaded idiot, a look of disgust on his face.

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><p><strong>AN**: Thanks to those of you who have said positive things about my story! I'm glad to hear people are enjoying my writing. I really would like more reviews, so if you have the time, please tell me what you think!

I have bought my ticket for the part 2 premiere! I can't wait! I'm super excited, but I'm also sad. It seems like just yesterday I was watching the first movie with my daddy.

Best wishes!

-nemoliciouss


	5. Chapter 5

Amusant: I LOVE your reviews! I like how you analyze my chapters! I hope you continue to enjoy my story.

**I don't own Harry Potter!**

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><p>She closed the door behind her quietly. There was no need, no one would be interrupting them there. It was Ron and hers night to patrol the upper corridors. The teachers had already left it up to them, and Filch was most likely prowling the lower corridors. With a smile on her face, she pranced her way towards him. He opened his arms and smiled, allowing her to straddle him.<p>

"Well, well, haven't seen you in a while." She whispered seductively into his ear. "I was beginning to think you were ignoring me." A pout graced her plump lips as she leaned back to look him in the eyes.

"Sorry love, I uh…had some business to take care of." He shifted uncomfortably. "You know…about _that_." He could sense the mood drop quickly.

"…Right…_THAT_." She replied harshly. "How could you possibly let it happen in the first place? HUH? I thought you said you didn't love her anymore!"

"I d-don't…"

"Bullshit! You promised you would dump her. You have ME, so why would you still sleep with HER?" She pushed herself off of him. "You're using me aren't you? You're using both of us."

"L-lavender! I would never use you! Never!" he frowned at the loss of heat she provided. "I love you! _Only _you! I just didn't want Harry to get mad at me for hurting her…" he trailed off.

"Well it's too fucking late for that now, isn't it?" she snapped. She was beyond mad now. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. If there was one thing Lavender Brown couldn't stand, it was being played. "Don't toy with me Ron! If you aren't going to end things with her, then I'll end _this_ now." She stamped her foot on the stone floor.

"Lav, honey! Come on! You know you can't resist me." He smirked. "come here, come!" he beckoned her over to him.

She glared at him, her face scrunching up. _'I won't give in. I won't give in. I won't give in! I won't giv-'_ Closing her eyes, she sighed and let her arms fall. "You're right. I can't resist my Won-Won!" She sat on his lap again, his arms wrapping around her tightly. She rested her head on his shoulder and nuzzled him. "I just get really jealous when I think of you and that insufferable book worm together like that. I want you all to myself." She brought her lips to his neck and nibbled his skin. "There, now I've marked you as mine."

"You little minx! You know that turns me on!" he growled seductively at her. "Now you'll suffer the consequences." She giggled as he pushed her against the couch. He held her hands over her head with one hand, using the other to prop himself over her.

"And that would be…?" she asked suggestively. Wrapping her legs around his torso, she brought him to her and kissed him.

X=X=X

He tapped his foot impatiently, his arms crossed and his face void of the usual smile. _'Where the bloody hell is he? It's not like him to miss a meal…' _He looked around, giving off a 'don't talk to me right now' aura. Finally spotting him, he stomped towards him.

"Oi Ron, let's talk for a minute." He turned to walk outside, not bothering to see if he was actually following him.

The redhead followed him, knowing very well that he was in no position to ignore the boy who lived.

After making sure no one was around to eavesdrop, Harry finally turned to face him. He looked him over, aware that his ex-best friend was nervous about what he had to say to him.

"What the bloody hell were you doing last night?" he demanded.

"What are you talking about?" he was confused. _'He should know I had patrol duty last night…even if I wasn't actually doing any patrolling…'_

"You know exactly what I'm talking about Ron!" he snapped. "I was looking at the marauders map last night with Ginny and guess what I saw? Or rather, guess which two people I noticed were together in the Room of Requirement?"

"Harry, are you daft? You know as well as I do that it's impossible to detect anyone in the Room of Requirement!" he tried to laugh it off. "You also know that we were both on patrol duty last night."

"I'm not an idiot Ron! I saw yours and Lavenders footsteps outside of the Room of Requirement. I know exactly where it's located, you know that." He was fuming now. "Both of you disappeared from the map and didn't reappear for quite some time."

"I- it's not what you think Harry! Honest!" he stammered. "I-I was just-"

"YOU WERE JUST _WHAT?_ HUH?" he shouted. "Just shagging Lavender Brown in the Room of Requirement while your girlfriend -whom you knocked up by the way- is crying because you broke her heart? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

He looked at Harry helplessly, trying hard to come up with an excuse that could save his ass. _'Fuck…I've got to think of something quickly…'_ He was sweating nervously now, racking his brain for an answer to his problem. While Harry was rubbing his forehead in frustration, he smirked to himself. _'I've got it…'_ He took a second to compose himself and he sighed dramatically, catching Harry's attention.

"Harry, mate, do you always have to ruin everything?" He frowned. "I wasn't shagging Lavender! You of all people should know how annoying she got our sixth year. Do you really think I would put myself through that again?"

"Oh really?" he questioned, crossing his arms again. "Than do tell, what _were_ you doing in there with her?"

"Hmph well if you _must_ know, I asked her to help me plan something for Hermione." He huffed indignantly. "I wanted to make up with her and apologize for what an asshole I was to her."

"Reaaaally?" Harry raised his eyebrows. "And what exactly where you planning that you two were in there for so long? Hmmm?"

Ron scoffed at him. "Well if tell _you _then it won't be a surprise now, will it?" He knew he succeeded in making Harry believe him, and had now successfully made Harry look like the bad friend, not him. "You'll just have to wait and see, now won't you?" He turned to walk off, leaving Harry behind. _'It's best to leave with an air of superiority…that'll teach him…'_

"This better be good Ron…" he warned. "I won't forgive you if you hurt her again!"

X=X=X

"FUCK! Bloody fucking hell!" he pounded his fist against the wall of the prefects bathroom. "Fucking Harry and his motherfucking map!" His face was red with anger. "How could I have been so careless? I should have asked him if I could borrow the map for patrol duty. UGH!"

He leaned against the door, letting himself slide down to the ground. He was helpless. Nothing was going right anymore and he was caught even deeper in his web of lies. If he didn't do something to fix the mess he created, sooner or later he would have no one on his side. He bumped his head against the door, sighing helplessly. _'Damn…There's nothing I can do anymore. It's all over. I'm going to be stuck with that swot and the kid.' _He had tried in vain for the past week to get rid of the thing, but for some reason, nothing was working. It was as if someone was foiling his plans without him realizing it. _'No one knew I was trying to get rid of it though…It's impossible. Only Lavender knows and she wouldn't try to stop me. She wants it gone as much as I do.' _

He sighed heavily, hanging his head in defeat. "Well then, I'll have to start thinking of a plan to reconcile with _her_…" He said sourly. "It's for the best. Harry and everyone else will forgive me, all will be well, and maybe- no definitely- I will find a way to sneak around with Lavender behind her back." He smiled at himself. _'Lavender is going to be bloody pissed…but no matter, that witch has it bad for me. She'll forgive me.'_

He smirked. "I'll definitely have my cake and eat it to."

X=X=X

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Blaise asked worriedly. "D-raco?"

He dragged his feet across the common room, not bothering to stop and respond to his friend. Once he reached his room, he shut the door and locked it shut. Flopping down onto his bed, he let out a tired sigh.

"Bloody woman…can't take care of herself…" he trailed of tiredly.

For the past week, Draco had been watching over Hermione Granger. He knew Ron was up to something, and wouldn't forgive himself if he just allowed him to injure her or her child. It was a hell of a week for him. The redhead wouldn't stop. Over and over again, he would try to secretly slip her something, harm her physically, and he even went as far as to try tampering with her potions in class. _'What a dimwit…can't even do that right. Even more of a dimwit is that clueless swot. Doesn't she realize there's something going on?'_ He grimaced. Why was he even doing this? He obviously had no feelings for her the in past, or even now. All he could ever think about was that night in his mansion, when her screams of pain echoed through his head.

"Mother-ugh…why can't I let it go? It's done. Over with." He buried his face in his pillow. He tried to will the screams, the looks of pain on her face, away, but they stayed there, engraved in his head. "Fuck."

'_She'll never know, but I've repaid her for my foolishness back then. I was scared, I couldn't help. But I've protected her this past week, and we're even now.'_

With all the power he could muster, he tried to make himself believe that he had made up for that night. The scars she had would never go away, but maybe, just maybe, saving her child was bigger than that. It was hard to believe that anything would break Hermione Granger. Bellatrix was unable to. In the end, she was stronger than his aunt expected. But, perhaps, losing her flesh and blood would be even more devastating.

Draco Malfoy wasn't one to go out of his way to protect a muggleborn, especially not Hermione, but he had no choice. Everyone else was too stupid to realize what was going on right under their noses. For the sake of his conscious, he wouldn't let that bastard harm her.

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><p><strong>AN**: Hey guys, sorry for the delay! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please tell me what you think! I want reviews please~!

Best wishes,

nemoliciouss


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N****: **Thanks to tfobmv18 and queenofgoblins for reviewing! I really do appreciate it. This chapter is dedicated to y'all.

**I don't own Harry Potter!**

She looked at herself in the mirror. Lifting her shirt up, she gently touched her stomach and smiled. It had been about three weeks since she found out her life would change forever. Of course, she was shocked when she first found out. Madame Pomfrey had broken the news to her when she went in after overexerting herself studying for NEWTs. She closed her eyes, remembering that day.

"_Hermione, dear?" she said gently. "There's something very important you need to be aware of."_

"_W-what is it? Am I okay?" she asked worriedly._

"_No, no! You're fine!" she assured the brunette. She placed a consoling hand on her arm. "Well, for the most part. I-I mean, well…umm…Hermione, you, well…you're pregnant."_

_Her chocolate eyes widened in shock. Her mouth opened as if to speak, but was unable to. After a moment to let the news sink in she was able to form words._

"_A-a-re you sure? I mean…what? How?" she asked anxiously. "Oh God, how could I let this happen?" She covered her mouth with her shaking hand, tears threatening to spill from those worried eyes._

"_Dear, I'm here for you if you need to talk, ok?" she tried to console her. "For now, just get some rests, and remember that you need to take better care of yourself now."_

_She was given a consoling pat on the back, with a murmured good luck from the older witch before she was allowed to leave. _

_In a daze, she walked back to her room, unable to comprehend what was just revealed to her. As soon as she shut the door behind her, she began to cry. _

She took a deep breath before covering herself again. With a final pat to her bump, she flicked her wand, turning the light off, and settled into bed. It was only nine, but with the first week of NEWTs under way, and her pregnancy to consider, it was important to her, and the baby, that she be well rested.

"Next week's the last week…" she frowned. "Ron hasn't talked to me since that day." She turned to her left and nuzzled her pillow. _'Will he ever talk to me again? There's no way I can raise this baby by myself.' _Her heart throbbed painfully at the thought of her parents. Where were they right now? Were they happy without her? She needed her mother right now. To tell her everything would be alright, to comfort her. Without a doubt, she regretted what she did to them. _'It was for the best…'_

X=X=X

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" she screeched.

"I'm sorry love, I have no other choice!" he raised his hands up in defeat. "We've been found out! I-I panicked and said the first thing I could think of to get out of it." He looked at her, fear evident in his eyes. Sure, he loved her, but she was no witch to mess with, even he knew that.

"So, let me get this straight." She said bitingly. "You told him you were planning a way to get Hermione back…in the room of requirement…with me…way past curfew? AND he believed you?" She scoffed. "He's rather stupid, isn't he?" She was livid. He promised her Hermione would be out of the picture. He said she was the only one he loved. Her heart panged with jealousy at the knocked up brunette know-it-all. Why did she have everything she couldn't? Why was she the one that got to live happily ever after? Why couldn't she just fall for Harry fucking Potter? Her face was red with anger, tears already forming around her sad eyes.

"Yes, well, I was rather convincing, I was!" he said proudly. "The important thing here is that I was able keep him from finding out the truth. Our secret is safe honey! Think about that!"

"All I can think of is that I don't want to keep doing this anymore." She cried. "I don't want to be the other woman! I want to be _your _woman. The _only_ woman." She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her robe. She hated this. She hated him. Most of all, she hated her. She hated the baby. She hated anyone that stood between her and Ron.

"I know. I know you want me." He tried to console her. "I only want you too. But, I just can't get rid of that fucking parasite. You know I've tried!"

He moved towards her cautiously. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her to him. He stroked her hair, attempting to calm her.

"You…promised!" came her muffled cries. "You lied to me!" She buried her face in his chest, hiding her face. No matter how hard she tried, the tears wouldn't stop. The pain she felt in her heart was too much for her to handle. Giving up, she let herself cry in his arms.

"Lavender, I promise, I really do, that none of this will get in between us." He said softly. He now had a pained expression on his face. Knowing that he hurt the only woman he truly loved made him feel sick. He never cared about hurting Hermione's feelings like he did with Lavender. Even back in first year, when he had mocked her, he had only apologized for the sake of appearance. She didn't mean a thing. She could disappear for all he cared.

"Do you mean it?" she questioned. Her sad eyes locked with his. "Y-you'll have to marry her, you know. Do you really think you'll need me, want me, when you can just shag her anytime you want? At night, when you're in bed with her, will you be wishing that I could be the one there instead? Will you put anything you have planned with her aside, if I call, need you?"

He stared at her for a moment, thinking over what she had said. His arms tightened around her, and his lips turned up into a slight smile and said, "You'll be the only one I ever think about." He kissed her tenderly on the forehead.

"I don't care if she's your wife." She finally stated. "As long as I always come first."

X=X=X

It was the final day of NEWTS and Hermione was completing her final test. It was the perfect time to do it. It would be public, enough to have it spread throughout the grounds in a heartbeat. Everyone would know they were okay again, and Ron could get his friends back before school could end.

He made sure everything was in place. Despite her annoyance at the fact that the love of her life had to marry someone else, she agreed to help him. The plan was simple. For the sake of Lavender's feelings, it was nothing too extravagant. It was just enough to convince Harry that what he had said was true. It was enough to get Hermione to forgive him, and get everyone to trust him again.

There were roses all around the entrance of the classroom. Ron was on one knee, a single flower in his hand. Lavender had asked a Ravenclaw she knew taking the same test as Hermione to talk to everyone else and make sure she was the first one out. That way, Ron didn't have to stay like that for long. It was to be quick. A harp was to his left, waiting for Lavender's cue to begin playing music.

The harp was Lavender's idea. She had suggested he tell Harry later that the reason they were in the Room of Requirement was because they were trying to figure out how to enchant the harp into playing the right song. Seeing as both Ron and Lavender were not the smartest in their group of friend's, it was quite a believable story.

Ron had asked Harry and some of the other Gryffindors to come and witness the event.

Harry looked on, an amused look on his face. He had doubted Ron, and now, after seeing all the trouble he had gone through, he felt guilty for doubting him. He waited, just like the others, in anticipation.

The clock seemed to tick slowly, but finally, the door of the classroom opened. The harp began to play its music and Ron stretched out his arm holding the flower. The bushy haired brunette looked exhausted, but satisfied. As soon as she spotted Ron in front of her, her eyes widened. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ron beat her to it.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you these past weeks." He said with fake remorse. "I admit, I was a jerk, and you deserve a better man than me. I have no right to ask for your forgiveness, but, if you could find it in your heart to forgive me, I will be the happiest man in the world." He emphasized his point by giving her a tender look. One that made him seem sincere.

There were 'awwws' and whistles coming from the crowd. People that believed the lies coming from his lips. He was shameless. He looked at her longingly, raising the flower he was holding even higher. "Will you marry me?" he asked as he looked into her eyes.

She was crying. It was exactly what she wanted. An apology for the pain he had put her through. She wiped her eyes and reached for the flower. Unable to speak, all she could do was nod her head. He loved her. Loved her enough to marry her. Enough to take care of her and her child.

At her response, the hall erupted into cheers. Harry was smiling now, beaming at his friend. He had proven himself, and for that, he would forgive him. He knew that all Ron needed was to be convinced. He was just scared of becoming a father at younger age than he had previously expected. Now that he realized how wrong he was, everything could go back to normal.

X=X=X

It was a scene of upmost stupidity he had ever had the misfortune of witnessing. It wasn't solely because Ron Weasley was the one responsible for all the commotion. Neither was it the fact that the scene in question oozed of fluffiness and love. No. It was the fact that after spending a week, an agonizing week to be exact, protecting her, Hermione Granger easily forgave the redheaded imbecile that was trying to murder her child.

"What a load of shit!" he spat. He was scowling and glaring at the crowd in front of him. He didn't care that everyone could hear him. Draco Malfoy was outright furious. The group of onlookers just stared at him. Some with anger and annoyance, others in confusion. Why would Malfoy, of all people, care for what was going on anyway?

"Don't look at me like that, you morons." He snapped. "Get out of my way!" He pushed his way past the group, making sure to shove Ron on his way. He smirked at him, before going on his way to the dungeons.

"What an asshole…" Ginny remarked.

"No matter, Gin. We all know he's bitter around anyone who looks even remotely happy in his presence." Harry said tauntingly.

Through tear-filled eyes, Hermione watched him leave. That was not like him. The Draco Malfoy she knew would never show interest in anything that wasn't about him. The Draco Malfoy she knew just didn't care. The fact that Draco seemed angry to have witnessed Ron's proposal was a curious thing.

"No matter! The git is the least of our worries!" Ron interrupted her thoughts cheerily. "We've got a wedding to plan!"

**A/N****: **Hope you enjoyed it! If you think that Ron's way of asking was lame, that's okay. It was supposed to be. He didn't want to do it, and he didn't care enough to buy her a ring first. Harry is oblivious and too willing to believe Ron, I know. But it's just because they've been friends for so long that he can't help but forgive him so easily. And Draco, oh boy! Man is he angry! I realize I haven't said much more about him and Astoria. I've been too caught up in the whole Ron and Hermione aspect of the story. Anyway, I'm sure you all know what's going on there. If not, no matter, I'll write more on them in the next chapter. Just a **warning:** Ron will stop pretending to be caring soon. He won't treat her well. This will happen most likely after the wedding. Also, I'm still trying to decide whether to have her get married pregnant, or wait until the baby is born. If you have a suggestion please tell me! Please review!

Best wishes,

nemoliciouss


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own Harry Potter!**

"Draco! What are you doing here?" snapped Narcissa. She stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. "You know how important today is!"

He sighed, letting himself slip further down the couch. He said nothing at first, just staring at his mother with vacant eyes. When Narcissa finally cleared her throat and began tapping her heeled foot impatiently, he leaned forward and put his head in his hands. Sighing, he said, "Mother, you know I don't care for this sort of thing. Why do we have to have a party to 'officially' announce that I'm being forced to marry an annoying woman that I have absolutely no feelings for? Huh? It would be one thing if said woman was actually smart, or even knew when to be quiet, but nooo! She has to be a fucking idiot who only knows how to annoy the shit out of me!" He was standing up now, a mixture of anguish and disgust on his normally calm and composed face.

Narcissa raised her arms up in front of her, closing her eyes as she did. She shushed him like a child and whispered quietly, "Calm down Draco, she could hear! She was with me a few minutes ago, what if she heard all of that? Don't be so cold-hearted. You know quite well why you have to do it. To-"

"To preserve the pureblood within the Malfoy family." He interrupted. "I know, I KNOW! But why HER?"

"Well, who else do you suggest you marry that isn't already related to you?" She challenged.

"I-I don't know. I don't care!" He was frustrated. "I rather marry one of my own cousins than have to marry that filth of a woman!"

_SLAP. _"Don't you DARE call her filth Draco Malfoy!" She hissed at him. "I have had it up to here with your whining. GROW UP!" Her nostrils were flaring with anger and her face looked ready to kill.

"But…mum…" he murmured as he rubbed his sore cheek.

"But nothing. Don't you ever dare call another pureblooded woman filth again." She warned. "Filth is that mudblooded princess marrying that Weasley boy. Talk about nerve! How dare she try to taint a pureblooded family? Even if it is one those nasty blood traitors…" She trailed off as she turned around to leave. Remembering why she came upstairs in the first place, she turned around again. "Oh, and you better be downstairs and ready in five minutes. I'm warning you!"

"Yeah yeah. Whatever. I'll be down soon." He mumbled as he watched his mother leave. As soon as he was sure she wasn't coming back, he shut the door and leaned against it. He closed his eyes, trying all he could to pretend he wasn't about to sign his life away to a woman he knew he would never love. Astoria was beautiful, but that was all there was to her. She couldn't hold an intelligent conversation to save her own life. Indeed, she was the type of woman that was incapable of being more than just a trophy wife. With a frustrated groan, he opened the door and dreadfully walked down the stairs.

X=X=X

Astoria woke up that morning with a huge smile on her face. Today was finally the day. Today she would officially be presented as Draco Malfoy's future wife. Humming happily, she hopped out of bed, excited for the night to come. Grabbing her bathrobe, she walked into her bathroom. With a flick of her wand, the elegant stone fireplace in front of her lit up. Taking in the sudden warmth, she smiled contently as she looked around the room. It was her who had designed the elegant bathroom before her. As the future wife of Draco, Narcissa had given her the freedom to do as she pleased with the room she was given. With another flick of her wand, she started the large bath in the middle of the room. It was an elegant, round stone bath that matched the fireplace in front of it. To the right was the matching shower, in case she was in a hurry. To the left, was a door that led to the restroom. Her attention went back to the bath that was now full. Quickly undressing, she eased herself into the hot water. Once in, she leaned back and closed her eyes, letting the scent of lavender and chamomile engulf her.

A few hours later, she heard a quiet knock on her door. "Come in" she chimed happily as she put on her silver heels. She was dressed in a dark green mermaid style dress that flowed at the bottom. The sweetheart neckline accentuated her chest in just the right way. She looked up to see Narcissa, beaming down at her. "Hello dear mother to be, what could I possibly help you with?"

"Oh, nothing dear, nothing at all. I just wanted to make sure you were almost ready." she said to the Greengrass sister. She looked her over, noting that she looked stunning in the dress they picked out together a week ago. Feeling pride in her choice of woman for her son, she couldn't help but continue to smile at the young woman in front of her. "You look stunning my dear! I can't wait to see the look on my Draco's face when he sees you! I have no doubt that you will make Draco a very happy man."

"You really think so?" Astoria giggled happily at the elder Malfoy. "That means a lot coming from you, thank you!" She could feel a slight blush forming on her cheeks.

"Of course I do! You two will be very happy together. "Anyway, we'll be meeting in the drawing room in about an hour. I'll see you then love."

As soon as she was gone, Astoria sat down in front of her vanity mirror. She looked at herself, touching her blushing cheeks. _'I can't believe this is really happening. I'm really going to marry the love of my life' _She hummed as she put on her perfume and touched up her makeup. "Perfect! She clapped her hands! With one last look in the mirror, she turned the lights of and closed the door behind her. As she walked down the corridor, she heard the voices of Draco and Narcissa. From the sound of it, they were arguing about something. Curious, she quietly walked towards the door and listened.

Cupping her ear, she heard Draco yelling at his mother. "It would be one thing if said woman was actually smart, or even knew when to be quiet, but nooo! She has to be a fucking idiot who only knows how to annoy the shit out of me!" She gasped at what she just heard. _'who could he possibly be talking about in such a manner? Maybe one of his aunts he doesn't want to invite?' _She continued to listen, hoping for a clue ad to her they were talking about.

"Calm down Draco, she could hear! She was with me a few minutes ago, what if she heard all of that? Don't be so cold-hearted."

'_But wait…wasn't I with her just a moment ago? They couldn't possibly be talking of me.' _She continued to cover her moth with her hand, shocked at the possibility._ 'Draco…Draco loves me…doesn't he?'_

She retreated from her thoughts when she heard a loud slap. She jumped in surprise, her heart racing rapidly. Feeling tears starting to well up in her eyes, she retreated quietly to her room. Shutting the door behind her quietly, she locked the door with her wand and dropped to the floor. Unable to stand it any longer, she let herself cry. _'Why? Was that fight really about me?' _She rubbed her eyes, her makeup smearing. _'I've done nothing but love him with all my heart. Is it because my families status is lower? Does he love someone else?' _She clenched her fist at the thought of Draco loving any other woman but her. "No! He can't…He won't EVER love anyone but me." She rubbed her eyes, as a scowl formed on her lips. "I'll make sure of that."

"Oh dear! Look at the time!" she gasped. "I need to hurry and get down to the drawing room!" Standing up, she brushed herself and ran to her mirror. Looking at the damage her tears had done to her face, she pouted at her appearance. Grabbing her wand, she made any sign of her having cried disappear. She reapplied her makeup, making sure that she looked perfect. There was no way she would let what she heard get to her. No matter what he said or wanted, he would be getting married to her. Like it or not, he would be hers and only hers.

Walking down the stairs, she saw the three Malfoys waiting for her. She noticed that Narcissa and Lucius looked worried. Lucius was pacing about the room, while Narcissa looked at him nervously. Setting her eyes on Draco, her heart dropped. He looked bored, his eyes showing no sign of excitement for the coming evening.

He looked up as she continued to move down the stairs. As their eyes met, his eyes became cold. She pretended not to notice. She looked once again to the older Malfoy couple, smiling as widely as she could. "I'm sorry for the wait, I was trying to make sure I looked my best for dear Draco this evening." Draco rolled his eyes as she continued to talk. "Well then, shall we? We have an exciting evening ahead of us."

"Yes of course dear," Lucius responded with a relieved smile. "Let's not wait any longer." He looked at Draco, clearing his throat.

Taking the hint, he got up from the couch, adjusting his coat. "Well then, off we go." He drawled "Wouldn't want to keep the princess waiting." He grabbed her arm, hooking it with his own, and apparated away.

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><p><strong>Ahhh! Finally, an update! Sorry for the SUPER long wait. I just started college in August and haven't had time to update with all the things I have going on. I'll be better about it, I promise you guys! I took a little break from Hermione and Ron to advance the plot between Draco and Astoria. Hopefully, you'll like the outcome! Please review and tell me what you think!<strong>

**xoxo,**

**nemoliciouss**


	8. Chapter 8

**Once again, I don't own Harry Potter!**

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><p>The smell of pancakes in the early morning lead Hermione into the kitchen of the Burrow where Molly Weasley was hard at work making that morning's breakfast. As she walked in, Molly smiled at the young woman and handed her a cup of orange juice, urging her to drink it. She resumed her task of preparing breakfast as the younger woman drank what she was given and read the Daily Prophet that had arrived earlier that morning. To her surprise, Draco Malfoy graced the front page of the newspaper. The picture was of an expressionless Draco, walking into an expensive looking building with Astoria Greengrass on his arm. Hermione had to admit that Astoria looked beautiful in her green dress.<p>

The title read _Malfoy Heir to Marry Youngest Greengrass Sister _and quite curious, she read on:

_After a courtship seeming to have lasted a mere 3 months, the announcement of an engagement between the only heir of the Malfoy family and Astoria Greengrass, can hardly be said to be a surprise. __It was inevitable that the most sought after Draco Malfoy would be set to marry a witch deemed worthy of his status in the Wizarding Realm. While many women around the world are crying for the loss of the rumored playboy, __it's clear to anyone that can see that they look amazingly well together. Astoria Greengrass is a gorgeous woman with not only the money, but also the looks that compliment the young heir. We at the Daily Prophet wish them a joyous and happy marriage and can only hope to be able to report later on over the wedding ceremony. Keep reading on page 10 for details of last night's engagement party._

"Huh, would you look at that…" she muttered to herself. "The git is actually getting married! I thought of him more as the bachelor type of guy." She shrugged and closed the paper, throwing it to the side. "Molly, are you going with Ginny and me to look for a wedding dress later?"

The elder woman looked up with a huge smile on her face. Wiping her hands on her apron, she walked towards Hermione and pulled her into a firm yet gentle hug. "I would love nothing more than to accompany you two," she said joyfully. "It makes me so happy to know that you actually care to involve me in all of your wedding plans like this. I feel so lucky to have you come into our family. I've always loved you like my own daughter, and now you'll actually become my daughter-in-law! I'm just so excited!" The woman began to wipe tears of joy from her eyes now. She smiled at the woman and gently patted her stomach. "Not only are you going to make my son very happy, you're also giving my first grandchild. Ohh what else could I possibly want in the world right now!"

Hermione smiled at the woman in front of her. She put her own hand over the woman's and said, "You've been here for me not only for the bad, but for the good as well, and there is no way that I'm not including you in this special moment. Ever since I had to let go of my parents, you've made me feel so welcome and I just can't thank you enough for that." She found herself choking back the urge to cry at the mention of her parents. Molly knew how hard it was for her to talk of them, so she embraced her and massaged soothing circles into the girls back. "Shhh. Honey, it's okay. " she whispered softly to Hermione. "I know it's tough to talk about and I know you miss them very much, but just know that we're all here for you now and you never have to be alone again." Hermione was now clinging to the woman, letting the tears fall freely on her shoulder. Molly continued to pat her back consolingly when Ginny walked into the kitchen.

"What's going on mum?" she said with concern. "Is she alright? Do I need to call a healer? Is the baby okay?" The young Weasley was beginning to panic, thinking the worst. "Oh Merlin, please tell me I'm still going to be an aunt!" She rushed over to the two women worriedly.

Hermione sniffled as she looked to Ginny. "I'm fine Gin, just hormonal…you know" she tried to laugh as she gestured to her stomach. "I was just having a moment with your mum and then I started thinking about my mum and dad as well." At the mention of her friend's parents, Ginny put an arm around the older girl's shoulders and gently squeezed her. "Aww Hermione, you're not allowed to be sad today. It's a special day! You're getting a wedding dress!" she cheerfully said. "I know it's hard not to be sad when you think about them, but I'm sure they wouldn't want you to be sad on a day like this!"

"You're right. Both of you" she smiled at the Weasley women. "I have to be strong. For my baby and myself! It can't be healthy to be thinking so negatively at a time like this! Let's eat breakfast and go on that trip to London!" She led Ginny to the table as everyone else began to file in as well.

X=X=X

It was a beautiful day in London as Hermione walked side by side with Molly and Ginny. After years of childhood fantasy, she was finally going wedding dress shopping. They had already been to many stores, but none of the dresses she had seen seemed to be the one she was looking for. To make matters worse, it was hard finding a dress that would cover up the fact that she was pregnant before she even got to the alter. The wedding was scheduled to be in two weeks, at which point she would be three months pregnant. Although her petite frame didn't show she much more than a tiny bump, she was still worried of what others might think of her predicament. While she may have been worried at first that Ron was reluctant to marry her or even help support the baby, his proposal proved to her otherwise. She knew it in her heart that Ron loved her, but it didn't stop others from possibly thinking it was a shotgun wedding. She frowned at the idea of anyone thinking that the sole reason for this marriage was to cover up the fact that she was pregnant before marriage. She knew everyone would eventually figure out she was due to have a baby, but for the sake of dispelling rumors, she knew it was best if she looked like she wasn't expecting. She was determined to believe that reason she was marrying Ron was because of the love they had for each other.

"How about we go in here Mione?" Ginny brought her back to reality. "It seems like they might have some cute wedding dresses we can look at!" The redhead eagerly opened the door, not even bothering to hear a reply from Hermione. She sighed and followed her in, looking around. The store seemed like any other bridal shop around town by just the looks of it. However, upon closer inspection, it was obvious that the dresses in this shop were far more extravagant and, unfortunately, far too expensive for Hermione's taste. She touched a gown made of tulle and lace, feeling the exquisite silk that lay underneath.

"Ginny…" she started. "I really don't think this is the place for us. Everything here is just too much." She knit her eyebrows in worry as she checked the price tag of the dress she had been inspecting. The redhead walked toward her with a mischievous grin. She already had two dresses in her hands and Hermione knew that no matter how much she protested, she would been trying on both of them.

"How may I help you today ladies?" chimed a woman that seemed to be in her early thirties. She walked towards them primly and with a sweet smile on her face. Despite the tight bun and proper clothes she was wearing, there was something about the woman's smile that made Hermione feel like she really was interested in helping her.

"Oh, we were just looking, but-" Hermione tried to wave the woman off, but was interrupted by Ginny. "We were hoping for a fitting room perhaps?" Ginny smiled back at the woman. "And possibly some help with finding the right dress for my friend here." She gestured to Hermione, who was beginning to get a little frustrated.

"Of course, follow me this way," she gestured toward the back of the store. "What kind of dress were you hoping to find dear?" She looked towards Hermione. "A ball gown type dress? Perhaps a classic piece with long sleeves and lace? Or maybe, since you're young and could pull it off, one of our more modern pieces with a sweetheart neckline and a mermaid tail?"

Hermione could tell the woman was getting excited and found her frustration slowly diminishing with every word the woman spoke. "Well actually, I was hoping to find a dress that would kind of…" she paused a little, unsure of whether to share her predicament with the saleswoman. "Umm…well that would kind of hide that fact that I'm pregnant?" She blushed slightly as she watched the woman's reaction.

"Oh! Well…in that case," the woman said as she walked towards a rack of dresses to her left. "I may have a few dresses that would be perfect for you! Why don't you try on the ones you friend picked out while I get them for you." She waved her hand to the open fitting rooms and continued with her search of dresses.

"Hermione dear, this is so exciting!" exclaimed Molly as she ushered Hermione into the fitting room. "I just know we'll find a dress that's just for you here!" She went to sit no one of the chairs by the mirrors as Ginny walked up to her as well.

"Don't worry so much about the prices Mione," she whispered. "Harry told me this trip's on him. He says it's your wedding gift from him and he expects nothing but the finest dress in all of London for his best friend the know-it-all!" She giggle and closed the door behind her, knowing Hermione wouldn't object to something Harry had offered.

"I can't say no to him, can I?" she muttered to herself as she tried on the first dress. "Always spoiling me rotten that kid…" Looking in the mirror, she twisted her mouth in distaste. The dress was beautiful, but it didn't seem right to Hermione. It was a light crème colored piece with a lace bust and flowing skirt. She turned and twirled, testing it out anyway. With a final look, she took it off. There was a knock on the door and Ginny entered before she could even respond.

"The saleslady brought these back for you to try on!" she said excitedly. "They're all so pretty! But I fancy this one more than the rest." She handed her a strapless white gown with a multi-tired peplum bodice. As she moved to try it on, she noticed that the skirt of the dress also had a cascading peplum design. It was dresses that seemed so modern and so unlike her taste. Looking at herself in the mirror, she noticed the design made it seem like the skirt of her dress was made of giant, beautiful white rose petals. The dress not only accentuated her figure and suited her nicely, but also strategically hid the fact that she even had a baby bump. She looked at it longingly, knowing that she had finally found the dress she was looking for. She could barely get out the words to Ginny, but the younger witch heard her clearly. "This. I found it…I want this dress."

Ginny smiled and looked with awe at the witch in front of her. She looked flawless in the dress and she could do nothing but stare at her as she twirled and looked at herself in the mirror. The voice of her mother behind them snapped them both back to reality. "Oh Hermione! You look gorgeous in that dress!" Molly sighed and clasped her hands together, looking lovingly at her soon to be daughter-in-law. "You have to buy it!"

"She's right Mione!" Ginny chimed in. "There's no way you're leaving this store without it!" The two Weasley's left her alone to change as Ginny took care of the transaction. "I'll be in the front paying with Harry's money while you change back! And I better not hear you fighting with me over this! You're getting that dress!" The redhead said loud enough for Hermione to hear her.

She rolled her eyes and responded with a laugh, "Of course not Ginny, I wouldn't dream of upsetting the great Harry Potter and his psycho girlfriend!" She playfully toyed with her, knowing well that the redhead wouldn't take it to heart. "But I definitely won't let him do this again!"

Thirty minutes later, the three women were out on the street again, all smiles and laughter. It had been a long day for all of them, but in the end, Hermione had found the perfect dress. She looked forward to the day when she would actually be wearing it. She couldn't contain her joy as she continued to smile at the two women next to her. It would be a wonderful wedding, and having them be a part of it was something Hermione wouldn't trade for the world. She took both their hands in hers as she lead the way home.

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><p><strong>AN:** Another chapter done! I know it's been a while, and it's a slow process, but it will be finished! I hope you enjoyed this dress shopping chapter! It was a cute little bonding moment with the Weasley women! Next chapter will either be more Draco/Astoria, Hermione and Draco bumping into each other, or the wedding(s)! Or maybe two of those! ;) Who knows! You'll find out next tiiiime! OR if you have a suggestion on what you would like to see or constructive criticism on my writing style/grammar then PLEASSSEEE review!


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